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TAMPA, Fla. (Jan. 21,
2014) – The
University of South Florida - which is launching a new focus on cybersecurity
education, research and outreach – is teaming up with the world’s largest
not-for-profit information security professional body to offer cybersecurity
certifications through academic programs.

The collaboration with Clearwater-based (ISC)2® - pronounced
“ISC-squared” - will provide thousands
of students and professionals from across the State of Florida with the
opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills and industry certification they need
to enter the high-demand, high-paying cybersecurity workforce. (ISC)2
is the administrator of CISSP®, CSSLP®, and HCISPP®, considered the gold-standards of
cybersecurity industry certifications.

This partnership
will allow USF to offer CISSP prep courses and administer the CISSP exam, targeted
to begin later in the spring. In addition, USF’s new cybersecurity master’s
degree program, scheduled to launch in fall 2014, will include (ISC)2 coursework that
will prepare students for the CISSP exam upon graduation.

“Cybersecurity
is one of the most pressing issues facing our world today. It’s what keeps bank
accounts secure, health records private, transportation grids protected and
identities from being stolen,” said USF Provost Ralph Wilcox. “We have a huge
role to play in ensuring that today’s students have the skills to tackle the
cyber challenges of tomorrow, so that we can all continue to live, work, bank,
travel and communicate safely.”

“We’re
very excited to announce this joint initiative,” said (ISC)2
Executive Director W. Hord Tipton, CISSP.
“This collaboration with USF will broaden the impact of GAP to
accelerate the growth and development of the cybersecurity workforce.”

(ISC)² is the largest not-for-profit membership body of certified
information and software security professionals worldwide, with over 93,000
members in more than 135 countries.